Apparatus for extracting lye from wood-ashes



W. P. D. MOROSS AND J. C. COSTELLO.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING LYE FROM WOOD ASHES.

APPLICATION- FILED AUG2| 1917.

1,328,096, I Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. P. D. MOROSS AND J. C. COSTELLO.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACUNG LYE FROM woon AsHEs.

APPLICATION FILED AUG21 1917.

` Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WILLIAM YIP. D. MOROSS AND JOHN C. COSTELLO, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE..

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING LYE FROM NOOD-ASHES.

Application filed August 2,

TQ all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM P. D. Monoss and JOHN C. CosrnLLo, citizens of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State ofV Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Apparatus for EX- tracting Lye from Wood-Ashes, of which the following is a specification.

This -invention relates to apparatus for extracting lye from wood ashes and especially to apparatus which may be attached to steam boilers to receive the ashes which fall directly into the ash-pit.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying our invention and showing the manner of connecting it to a stationary steam boiler; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the evaporating pans; Fig. 3 is a partial end elevation of the boiler casing and the ash tray; Fig. 4L is a transverse vertical section through the ash tray; and IFiO. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Vire have s iown our apparatus attached to an ordinary stationary steam boiler. The ash tray 2, occupiesthe space of the usual ash-pit in the boiler setting and consists of a rectangular metal receptacle having a bottom which slopes downwardly from both sides into a central longitudinal trough 5 which also slopes from either end toward a filter trap or outlet 6, which may be located at any convenient point along the trough. An outlet pipe 8 connects the trap with a catch basin 9, from which the liquid is forced through pipe 10, into the evaporating pans 12. A water supply pipe 15 connects with the upper part of the ash tray and a perforated pipe 16 extends there through above the trough and is connected by a pipe 17 with the steam dome 18 of the boiler 20. The trough 5 is filled with coarse sand and gravel to serve as a filter and prevent the ashes from packing adjacent the strainer 7 in the outlet.

In operation, when the tray has become lled with ashes falling through the grate bars 21, the lids or leaves of the cover 23 are swung downwardly by means of the levers Q4, to tightly close the tray, the lids being preferably counterbalanced so that little effort is required to raise or lower them. The valve 13 is opened to admit a sufficient amount of water to leach the ashes, this'water being preferably hot. Tf the Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. is, leso..

1917. Serial No. 184,107.

operation is begun while the ashes are still hot, steam will be generated as soon as the water is turned on. rIhe valve 13 is then opened to admit a certain amount of live steam, the amount required depending upon how much was generated by the hot ashes. The live steam issuing the perforated pipe 16, thoroughly boils the ashes and circulates therethrough, causing a revolving motion of the ashes from the bottom outwardly in each direction toward the sides and across the top toward the center in the manner indicated by the arrows. This action very rapidly dissolves the soluble salts from the ashes and the leaching water is conducted to the catch basin 9 by opening the valve 14. This valve is then closed and the valve 22 is opened to permit live steam to exert pressure within the airtight basin 9 to thereby force the liquid contents through the .pipe 10 into the several evaporating vats'12 which are heated by coils 25 which may be conveniently heated by connecting the pipe 26 with the eXhaust from the engine or hot water heater or other source of steam from the plant. The liquor in the pans is evaporated and the salt is collected in the usual manner.

The ashes in the ash tray 2 can be washed or leached a second time and the process above 'described repeated, if this is found desirable. After the water has been drained from the ashes, the spent ashes may be removed by a rake or hoe, after which the lids 23 are raised to permit the ashes fallin small jets from` ing through the grate to again ill the tray, Y

the process being repeated indefinitely.

This apparatus'is adapted to be attached to any ordinary boiler plant, the rectangular tray being conveniently made of boiler plate and conforming in length and breadth with the usual standard sizes of the ash-pits beneath the fire box or furnace.

We have described in detail the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purpose of clearly disclosing one embodiment of our invention, but it will be understood by engineers that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of ourclaims and without in any manner departing from our invention.

We claim 1. Apparatus for leaching wood ashes, comprising a tray or receptacle to receive the ashes, means for supplying waterl to the ashes Within the receptacle, a closure for the top of the receptacle, serving as a deiiector for the material agitated Within the receptacle, ineans for introducing steam in a series of jets into the receptacle to stir or agitate the ashes and subject thein to the heating and dissolving' action ofthe steam, and nieans for withdrawing the' liquor which drains to the bottoni of the receptacle.

2. Apparatus for leaching Wood ashes,

comprising a tray or receptacle to receive they ashes, said tray having a depending trough or gutter and the bottoni sloping from the sides thereinto, a cover or lid Which may be opened or closed and when closed serving as a delector for then material agitated Within the receptacle, a steam conduit extending longitudinally above said gutter and provided With a plurality of openings for the escape of steam, a drain or trap con* Inected to said trough, and a conduit connected to said drain.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

WILLIAM l. D. MOROSS. JOHN C. COSTELLO. 

